Political analyst Samuel Lunani unpacks Ruto-Uhuru 2027 battle on live Political Ringside

At a time when political noise is at its peak and getting factual information is becoming almost impossible, Political Ringside, via political analyst Samuel Lunani, has finally unpacked the latest Uhuru-Ruto political duel.

In a seven-minute analysis, Lunani has told Kenyans why President William Ruto cannot afford to ignore former President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the 2027 General Election, despite Uhuru being constitutionally barred from seeking another presidential term.

The latest edition of Political Ringside has examined the political shadow of Uhuru and the reason his name continues to feature prominently in conversations surrounding Ruto and the emerging opposition alliances.

Lunani has placed Ruto’s renewed attacks on Uhuru within the wider 2027 political contest, particularly the battle for the Mount Kenya vote.

The analysis has come as Ruto and his allies have accused Uhuru of supporting the opposition. The claims have been denied by opposition figures, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who has rejected suggestions that the former president finances their political activities.

For Political Ringside, however, the bigger issue goes beyond the accusations.

Lunani has examined how Uhuru’s political brand could influence the opposition’s attempts to consolidate support, especially in a region where the former president remains an influential political reference point.

The analyst has argued that portraying opposition leaders as Uhuru’s political “puppets” could weaken their independent identities and give Ruto’s camp an opportunity to frame the emerging opposition as an extension of the former president’s political interests.

At the same time, the Political Ringside analysis has highlighted another strategy: shifting the 2027 conversation from government performance to personality politics.

A Ruto versus Uhuru narrative, Lunani has observed, could place the former president at the centre of the election despite his absence from the ballot.

The analysis has also examined why Ruto’s political camp could view Uhuru differently from active opposition politicians such as Kalonzo Musyoka, Edwin Sifuna, Eugene Wamalwa, Babu Owino and James Orengo.

According to Lunani, Uhuru’s political legacy gives him a unique position that younger opposition figures may not immediately replicate.

Through its latest analysis, Political Ringside has therefore put the “Uhuru factor” back at the centre of Kenya’s 2027 political conversation.

The question raised by Lunani is straightforward: If Uhuru is not running, why does his political shadow remain such a powerful subject in Ruto’s camp?